Front bezel assembly

ABSTRACT

A front bezel assembly includes an enclosure ( 20 ) for securing an electronic device ( 60 ) therein, and a front bezel ( 40 ). The enclosure includes a front plate ( 22 ) defining two slots ( 24 ) in opposite ends thereof, and two cutouts ( 26 ) below respective slots. The bezel includes a body ( 41 ) and two spaced latches ( 42 ). Each latch includes an engaging portion ( 44 ) extending perpendicularly from an inside of the body, an abutting portion ( 46 ) extending outwardly and downwardly from the engaging portion, and a catch ( 50 ) formed at a bottom end of the abutting portion. The engaging portions engage in the slots to position the bezel in X axis directions. The catches engage in the cutouts to position the bezel in Z axis directions. The abutting portions sandwich the front plate with the body to position the bezel in Y axis directions. The bezel is thus securely attached to the enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to front bezel assemblies, andparticularly to a front bezel assembly having a front bezel readily anddetachably attached to an enclosure.

[0003] 2. RELATED ART

[0004] Popular electronic devices for computers or servers include harddisk drives (HDDs), floppy disk drives (FDDs) and Compact Disk-Read-OnlyMemories (CD-ROMs). These electronic devices are typically secured inmetal enclosures. Plastic front bezels are then attached to front platesof the enclosures to cover the front plates.

[0005] A front bezel is usually attached to an enclosure by heat fusionor with screws. However, when the front bezel is attached by fusion, itis inseparable from the enclosure. If either the front bezel or theenclosure is damaged, the other undamaged part needs to be replaced too.This is unnecessarily wasteful and costly. Taiwan patent application No.88209964 discloses an enclosure for securing an HDD therein. Theenclosure comprises a chassis and a cover attached on the chassis. Afront bezel is secured on front portions of the chassis and the cover byscrews. However, attaching the front bezel by screws is unduly laboriousand time-consuming. Furthermore, a tool for effecting attachment isneeded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide afront bezel assembly having a front bezel which can be readily anddetachably secured to an enclosure.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned object, a front bezel assembly inaccordance with the present invention comprises an enclosure forsecuring an electronic device therein, and a front bezel. The enclosurecomprises a front plate and a pair of side plates. The front platedefines a pair of slots in opposite ends thereof, and a pair of cutoutsbelow respective slots. The front bezel includes a body and a pair ofspaced latches. Each latch includes an engaging portion extendingperpendicularly from an inside of the body, an abutting portionextending outwardly and downwardly from the engaging portion, and acatch formed at a bottom end of the abutting portion. The engagingportions engage in the corresponding slots to position the front bezelin X axis directions. The catches engage in the corresponding cutouts toposition the front bezel in Z axis directions. The abutting portionssandwich the front plate with the body to position the front bezel in Yaxis directions. The front bezel is thus securely attached to theenclosure.

[0008] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the presentinvention will be drawn from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, inwhich:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a front bezel assembly inaccordance with the present invention, showing a front bezel and anenclosure of the front bezel assembly together with an HDD;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cut-away isometric view of the front bezelof FIG. 1, viewed from another aspect; and

[0011]FIG. 3 is an enlarged, assembled view of the front bezel and theenclosure of FIG. 1, but with part of the enclosure cut away for clearerillustration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012]FIG. 1 of the attached drawings shows a front bezel assembly inaccordance with the present invention, together with an electronicdevice 60. The front bezel assembly comprises an enclosure 20 and afront bezel 40. The electronic device 60 can be, for example, a harddisk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive (FDD), a computer, and so on. Forthe sake of simple illustration of the preferred embodiment, theelectronic device 60 is hereinafter assumed to be an HDD.

[0013] The enclosure 20 comprises a front plate 22, and a pair of sideplates 32 extending rearwardly from opposite side edges of the frontplate 22. The front plate 22 defines a pair of vertical slots 24 inrespective opposite ends thereof. The vertical slots 24 span from a topedge of the front plate 22. A pair of cutouts 26 is defined in the frontplate 22. Each cutout 26 is located below a corresponding vertical slot24 and near a corresponding side plate 32.

[0014] Referring also to FIG. 2, the front bezel 40 comprises a body 41,and a pair of latches 42 formed at respective opposite ends of an insideface of the body 41. Each latch 42 comprises an engaging portion 44extending perpendicularly from the inside face of the body 41, and anabutting portion 46 extending perpendicularly outwardly andperpendicularly downwardly from the engaging portion 44. The abuttingportion 46 is thus spaced from the body 41, thereby defining a gap 48therebetween. The abutting portion 46 has a catch 50 formed on a frontface of a bottom end thereof. A handle 52 extends rearwardly from thebottom end of the abutting portion 46.

[0015] Referring also to FIG. 3, in assembly, the HDD 60 is attached tothe enclosure 20 by conventional means. The front bezel 40 is placedadjacent the front plate 22 of the enclosure 20. The engaging portions44 are aligned with the corresponding slots 24 of the front plate 22.The front bezel 40 is pressed downwardly. The catches 50 are pushedrearwardly by reason of contact with the front plate 22, and the latches42 are thus elastically deformed. When the engaging portions 44 reachbottom ends of the slots 24, the catches 50 snappingly engage in thecorresponding cutouts 26. The latches 42 thus elastically return totheir original states, such that the abutting portions 46 sandwich thefront plate 22 with the body 41. The engaging portions 44 are therebyfirmly engaged in the slots 24, and the front bezel 40 is securelyattached to the enclosure 20.

[0016] In the present invention, engagement of the engaging portions 44of the front bezel 40 in the slots 24 of the enclosure 20 positions thefront bezel 40 in X axis directions. Engagement of the catches 50 in thecutouts 26 positions the front bezel 40 in Z axis directions. Theabutting portions 46 and the body 41 sandwiching the front plate 22therebetween position the front bezel 40 in Y axis directions. The frontbezel 40 is accordingly securely attached to the enclosure 20.

[0017] In disassembly, the handles 52 are pulled rearwardly to cause thecatches 50 of the front bezel 40 to release from the cutouts 26 of thefront plate 22. The front bezel 40 is then moved upwardly to disengagefrom the front plate 22.

[0018] It is understood that the invention may be embodied in otherforms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the presentexample and embodiment is to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limitedto the details given herein.

1. A front bezel assembly for an electronic device, comprising: anenclosure adapted for securing the electronic device therein, theenclosure comprising a front plate, the front plate defining at leastone slot and at least one cutout; and a front bezel comprising a bodyand at least one latch, the at least one latch comprising an engagingportion engaging in the at least one slot, an abutting portionsandwiching the front plate of the enclosure with the body, and a catchengaging in the at least one cutout.
 2. The front bezel assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein engagement of the engaging portion in the atleast one slot positions the front bezel in a first direction.
 3. Thefront bezel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein engagement of thecatch in the at least one cutout positions the front bezel in a seconddirection perpendicular to the first direction.
 4. The front bezelassembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the abutting portion and thebody sandwiching the front plate therebetween positions the front bezelin a third direction perpendicular to both the first and seconddirections.
 5. The front bezel assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe at least one latch further comprises a handle opposite the catch forfacilitating operation thereof.
 6. The front bezel assembly as claimedin claim 5, wherein the catch is formed at a bottom of the at least onelatch facing the body, and the handle is formed at the bottom of the atleast one latch distal from the body.
 7. The front bezel assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the engaging portion extends perpendicularlyfrom an inside of the body, and the abutting portion extends outwardlyand downwardly from the engaging portion.
 8. The front bezel assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosure further comprises a pair ofside plates extending substantially perpendicularly from the frontbezel.
 9. A method for securing a front bezel to an enclosure, themethod comprising the steps of: a) providing an enclosure comprising afront plate defining a pair of slots in opposite ends thereof, and apair of cutouts proximate respective slots; b) providing a front bezelcomprising a body and a pair of latches, each of the latches comprisingan engaging portion, an abutting portion, and a catch; c) placing thefront bezel adjacent the front plate, with the engaging portions of thefront bezel aligning with corresponding slots of the front plate; and d)pressing the front bezel until the engaging portions abut the frontplate in terminal ends of the slots, the engaging portions engaging inthe slots to position the front bezel in a first direction, the catchesengaging in the cutouts to position the front bezel in a seconddirection, the abutting portions and the body sandwiching the frontplate therebetween to position the front bezel in a third direction, thefirst, second and third directions all being perpendicular to oneanother.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the engagingportion extends perpendicularly from an inside of the body, and theabutting portion extends outwardly and downwardly from the engagingportion.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the catch isformed at a bottom of the corresponding latch, and faces the body. 12.The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the latches furthercomprises a handle formed at the bottom thereof and opposite thecorresponding catch, for facilitating operation thereof.
 13. A frontbezel assembly comprising: a metallic enclosure for securing electronicdevices therein, said enclosure including at least a front platedefining first and second directions perpendicular to each other, saidfront plate defining at least one slot extending along said firstdirection, and at least one cutout being offset from said slot in boththe first direction and the second direction; and a plastic bezel havinga similar dimension with the front plate and located in front of thefront plate, and including a planar body with a latch behind the body,said latch including an engaging portion received in the slot, and acatch received in the cutout; wherein the slot communicates with anexterior in said first direction, and thus said front plate and saidbezel are able to be assembled to each other along said first direction.